KK - Noodles of Sabah

If Kuching was the capital of Malaysia for pork, then Kota Kinabalu has to be the capital of Malaysia for noodles! I have not seen such a variety of noodles anywhere in the country. And they just don't differ in shape in size, but in taste and texture as well. Noodles in KK are a very local and personal affair, so our host Brenda was key to understanding the different types of noodles available here.

First up is Beaufort Noodles. This homemade noodles gets its name from the district it was created in; Beaufort. At Kim Fah Restaurant located in Plaza Grand Millennium, Penampang, Beaufort Fried Noodles is stir fried with your usual ingredients of vegetables and healthy portions of pork chunks and slices.


I'm no expert when it comes to defining how noodles taste like, but I would say this dish brought out a nice smoky flavor to the noodles.



Be aware that portions in KK tend to be very large. A bowl of noodles of RM 5 or 6 can easily feed two small to medium eaters, especially those with small breakfast appetites.

At Jia Siang Coffeehouse at Lintas Plaza, Penampang, you can get the local favorite of Sang Nyuk Mien. Here, your choice of noodles is served with a bowl full of pork chunks, pork balls, and a broth that smells full of pork goodness! They also serve other dishes such as a delightful dish of homemade taufoo and dry and wet noodles. 

Mui Hiong Coffeehouse in Lintas is home to another famous variant and crowd favorite; Roasted Duck Noodles. I personally like duck. Maybe because I'm bored of eating chicken all the time. Haha, but there's something about the toughness and aroma of duck meat that always draws me to it. Anyways, duck meat and noodles? Definitely can't go wrong. But wait, whats this white thing? Pork roll; available only in Sabah is literally ground pork wrapped with egg. You got to try it if you are here as you wont find it anywhere else.

If there has to be a piece de resistance for the noodles of Sabah, it has to be this! Ye Fung Coffeehouse along Gaya Street serves Laksa that is to die for! The laksa here differs from other laksa in Malaysia such as in Penang and Sarawak as they add a lot more coconut milk, giving it a richer and more curry-like flavor. But kid me not, this has to be the best laksa i have tasted in my life! Don't you dare leave KK without trying it! Gaya Street is located in the heart of KK town and hosts a big bazaar along its entire street every Sunday morning. More on that later.

Tom Yam is another popular dish here in Sabah. Like the laksa, tom yam here is infused with more coconut milk. Together with large fresh prawns and fried fish, Dat Seng Coffeehouse in Inanam Bussiness Centre servers an excellent combination of sour and spicy tom yam noodles.





Like Beaufort, the district of Tuaran is home to noodles of their own. We had the privilege of having our host's mum cook us Tuaran Noodles and again what you get is another type of noodles which taste different from all the others tried before.Thank you aunty! :)

On our final morning in KK, Brenda brought us to our final meal. Sob Sob :(

This is another must try. Homemade noodles served with your choice of pork meats, innards or sausages, and dressed with a light sauce. This dish is really something. It may look simple but the tenderness of the noodles was amazing and it went superbly with the light dressing. This was one noodles in KK I could have had a second round of. Unfortunately, we were rushing for our flight back. But for the rest of you, remember to stop by Wah Juan Coffeehouse in Tanjung Aru along the road heading to KK airport. But be warned, they are packed in the mornings, so do remember to allocate more time ;)

KK and Sabah is home to a wide variety of noodles as we have seen here. Its safe to say that noodles are the staple food of modern day Sabahans with each district famous for their own local specialty. The coffeehouses we visited were among the countless scattered all across the land. For those not familiar with KK, I shall try to get the coordinates for these locations. Till then, happy drooling :)